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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. band — a ring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. band — a music group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com